The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 351: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a a 4 ~ EKO) Sv. 330 Lady Grace Cowley smiled, and a pleasurable glow overspread her face and warmed up the soft sweet tints of her bosom, upon whose rounded whiteness Leicester's eyes dwelt with undisguised pleasure. * T attracted you,” she said. “Yes, you,” he said, as he sat down by ber side, and took her hand to press te his hot lips; “can you be so daring as to say that you do not know you are lovely?” The fair traitress tossed her pretty head, and looking downwards toyed with the lace which bordered her white breast. “The gentlemen say so,” she answered ; “but surely this is not what you wish to say to me. How is the injared man?" — “I know not; I have not yet been to his room. I was so anxious ta come to you that I could not spare time to go to him. He is not dead, or very much worse, or news would have been brought,” ‘“‘True,’’ she said, musingly: She had in truth no wish to change the subject, Leicester waited but a moment. He saw plainly that the present was a pro- pitious time. He had kept the little hand in his ; but he now released it, and gliding his arm round her waist, pressed his lips to hers in a long, fervent kiss, She made no resistance, but lay fluttering and palpitating upon his bosom, ‘‘ Lady Grace—Grace I will call you,” he said, “Thave told you all, You know that I loved icia, the supposed daughter of the armourer ; you know how she has deceived me and left me for that wretched apprentice fellow, Rupert Ohangeling, who has by some imposture come into the title of Sir Rapert and the wealth of seme unknown and mysterious father.” “ Yes,” she murmured, “I know all this,” Well,” he continued, “my love for her is e—it has passed away for ever, and merged luto feelings of the deepest hate. With these feelings I come to you to ask you to fill the vecant place in my heart and marry one who will aid you in avenging your wrongs ?”’ She was still in his arms, but her face was hidden in his breast, so that he could not see its expression, he was in an agony of doubt and fear. Her inclinations bade her yield to the hand- some cavalier who proposed to be her husband, for her passions were wrought up to the highest pitch as he pressed her ardently to his heart. Yet would he betray her? Would he use the wealth she would bring him for other purposes than the achievement of her revenge upon her enemies ? “You hesitate," he said, as he raised her up and gazed into her face, *T do,” she answered ; “T have so often been deceived that I cannot bring m yeelf to believe now in anything true or honest,”’ He took both her hands and looked steadily into her face, “Grace,” he said, ‘‘your words are—allow me to say—foolish in the extreme, I have always regarded you with looks of admiration, and I fancy that my person has not been in- different to you. Under these circumstances, THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, a marriage between us in the usual course would not be unacceptable to either.” She flushed crimson and hung her head as he drew her again towards him and continued, “ Your blushes are enough to prove that my words are true. More than this, your enemies are my enemies, and one of the points in our marriage contract will be a compact to use our best efforts to destroy our mutual foes. Say now will you be my wife ?”' “Yes,” murmured the wicked woman, whose ion now overcame the remembrance of all he sins of her life. Leicester kissed her ardently. “ This very night, then, the priest shall make us one,” he cried, “nor many hours shall sepa- rate us from our happiness; and then for our revenge—our undying, bitter revenge upon our enemies, I have a secret to impart to you, a secret which will prove to you how thoroughly the plans are laid for King Charles the Second's yestoration, and if this is once accomplished you know well what fate will fall upon the armourer and all his friends.” ‘What is this secret?” asked Lady Grace Cowley, eagerly. “ To-morrow I will impart it to you—not now. When you are my wife—when our interests are bound up together—then I will tell you all. Meanwhile, I know not even at this hour what may happen to separate you from me.” The day wore on. Lord Raymond grew rapidly better. The wound had passed through the fleahy part of his shoulder without inflicting any mortal hurt ; and quiet only was required to enable him once more to arise to effect the discomfiture of those whom he hated. The evening at length came, and just as dark- ness had begun to shadow the earth, the priest arrived to tie the knot between the unholy pair. Lord Leicester, passing into Lady Grace's boudoir, to lead her into the chamber where the priest awaited them, saw a strange sight indeed. Crouching on a sofa, dressed in her bridal lace, was Lady Grace Cowley—her face white as her robe—her eyes starting as in deadly fear. “ Why, what is this, Grace?” he said, as he approached, and pushed aside her officious hand- maidens. ‘ What ails you ?” “ Oh ! Leicester,” she cried, groaning out her words asif in intense agony. “ Oh! Leicester, I am going mad ! mad! mad !” ‘ Why, dearest—look up,” he said, ‘I am here to protect you. What do you fear ?” “TI see blood everywhere, The forms of those I have—oh ! Leicester, I dare not think of it. It is horrible! horrible !” ‘“ Bring wine,” crigd Leicester, to one of the servants. “ Bring wine, quickly.” The frightened domestic quickly obeyed, and Lady Grace swallowed eagerly a large goblet of the rich juice of the grape. This seemed to work an immediate change. The glow returned to her cheeks—the bright- ness to her eyes, and she rose from the couch. ‘+ T am ready, Leicester,” she said, ‘ you may lead me to the priest.” In a few moments the strange marriage group was assembled in the stately drawing room— Lord Leicester, his bride, the priest, and the domestics forming the wedding party. GOVE OO ©